It’s unbelievable that we’re saying this, but the 2026 draft class just continues to get better and better. Jared Grindlinger, one of the top players in the 2027 class, has officially announced his reclassification. The now top two-way player in the class joins what was already widely considered one of the better draft classes in recent memory.
Grindlinger joins a stacked group of already reclassified players from the 2027 class, including Logan Schmidt, Will Brick, Rocco Maniscalco, and Kaiden McCarthy, just to name a few.
Grindlinger hails from Huntington Beach High School in California, a power program that has been home to multiple first-round picks — most recently Ralphy Velazquez, the Guardians’ No. 23 overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. Grindlinger’s brother, Trent Grindlinger, was a former Top 150 draft prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft and is now a freshman catcher at the University of Tennessee.
Widely considered a top-five prospect in the 2027 class by most outlets, Grindlinger has a bright future both at the plate and on the mound. You could make a legitimate argument for either as his long-term home.
A polished southpaw, Grindlinger has electric arm talent on the bump, with a fastball that has touched 97 mph in bullpen settings and 96 mph in games. The pitch shows solid vertical carry with tail away from right-handed hitters from a three-quarter slot. Grindlinger has a strong track record of throwing strikes and moves well down the mound, utilizing a high leg kick. There’s already considerable arm speed, and his lean, athletic 6-foot-3 frame looks like it could still add significant mass. It’s easy to see a world where Grindlinger is bumping the upper 90s in due time.
Both of his secondaries flash promise as well. Grindlinger shows exceptional feel for a sweeping low-80s slider that features promising shape. He’ll also kill spin well on a changeup with depth that he tunnels effectively to right-handed hitters. At the end of the day, it’s a starter’s package, with multiple pitches that could end up above-average or better.
It’s already a top-two-round profile based solely on the arm, but the bat makes Grindlinger’s profile even more intriguing.
Grindlinger can really, really hit. It’s a smooth, simple left-handed stroke that has shown few holes to this point. He ran elite contact rates both inside and outside the zone throughout the 2025 summer circuit — rates few bats in the 2027 class could match. His approach impresses as well: mature takes, very little chase, and a willingness to take what he’s given at the plate. Grindlinger is an unbelievably mature hitter for his age.
If there’s one critique of Grindlinger’s offensive game, it’s his feel for lifting the baseball. At times, he can get a bit slappy with his swing, resulting in a lot of ground-ball contact and limited impact. Still, this is a frame with considerable upside remaining, and it appears his bat speed has started to tick up in recent months.
Grindlinger will be just 17.2 years old on draft day, making him one of the younger draft-eligible prospects in recent years. Considering the tools and two-way talent, there’s a chance we see Grindlinger’s name called quite early in the 2026 MLB Draft. He is currently uncommitted.